New Book from Hervé This: Building a Meal

French molecular gastronomist/mad scientist Hervé This has a new book out entitled Building a Meal: From Molecular Gastronomy to Culinary Constructivism (buy from Amazon) where he considers the preparation of six bistro favorites—hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise, simple consommé, leg of lamb with green beans, steak-frites, lemon meringue pie, and chocolate mousse—and "isolates the exact chemical properties that tickle our senses and stimulate our appetites."

From the Columbia University Press:

[This] connects the mind and the stomach, identifying methods of culinary construction that appeal to our memories, intelligence, and creativity. By showing that the creation of a meal is as satisfying as its consumption, Hervé This recalibrates the balance between food and our imaginations. The result is a revolutionary perspective that will tempt even the most casual cooks to greater flights of experimentation.

It's nicely priced for an academic title (less than $14!), but honestly, we would pay a pretty hefty sum in order to have our food/imagination balance recalibrated. And if that's not blowing your mind? Watch this video of This making mayonnaise. It's hypnotic.